Category: Travels

3rd day of #KimGarethEurotrip

This was taken at the car rental place at Heathrow.

# – Just standing only….

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Top from H&M. Can’t remember where I got the skirt. Can’t remember where I got the scarf either. Bag from Louis Vuitton. Shoes from Bangkok. Sunglasses from Bazzarro.

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We didn’t do much today. Slept in a bit and then took the tube back to Heathrow to sort our rental car out.

We wanted a fairly powerful car for driving on San Bernardino Pass, so we’re pretty happy with what we got, which is a VW Passat estate with a 2.0 turbodiesel engine…pushing out 320Nm of torque.

# – Our ride for our Eurotrip. We have christened it “Fresh Milk”.

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We drove the car back, pick our luggages and stopped by Sainsbury for snacks, bags and towels (just in case).

Then we had dinner at this place called Cantina do Gaucho for some Brazillian food. I didn’t have high expectations cause the place’s located in a pretty dowdy area.

We ordered rump steak with rice & beans as well as salmon with rice & beans.

They were surprisingly tasty! I never knew beans and rice could taste so good together!

# – My rump steak with rice and beans.
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Man, I miss it already!

After dinner we drove 1.5 hours to Dover Ferry Terminal to catch a ferry to Calais, France.

Well, right now we’re still at the ferry terminal because our ferry is at 12.30am. At time of blogging it is 11pm.

We should reach Calais at about 3am but we haven’t booked any hotel or accommodation so we reckon we might need to spend a night in the car hahahha.

# – In the queue for our ferry.

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Well, that’s fine cause it is all part of the adventure! Teehee.

Before I forget, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and happy holidays!

2nd day of #KimGarethEurotrip

Taken on escalator in the subway station.

# – Riding the escalator.
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Top, bottom and shoes from Bangkok. Coffee from a food truck in Green Park near Buckingham Palace. Camera from Canon. Bag from Louis Vuitton.

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We woke up early to catch the changing of guards at Buckingham Palace. We took the underground to Green Park station which exits to a park that exits to Buckingham Palace.

# – The station is called Green Park because there is a green park right outside. #socreative
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Half and hour before the change of guards (which happens at 11am on the even days of every month) and already the area outside palace ground was filled with people.

# – So many people!
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We waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally it happened, there was some marching band playing and there were guards in the red uniforms and funny furry hats marching.

# – Interesting….?

But I couldn’t see much to be honest cause everything was pretty much blocked by people. We gave up before the ceremony finished :P

Then  we went to Borough Market for lunch. It is just directly outside the London Bridge underground station.

I wish I could see it in its usual glory as not many stalls were opened. However it was already really, really good for me. Most of the better known food stalls were opened, so lucky for us.

Especially this shop that sells Wild English oysters. My paradise! 4 large ones for 7 quid….awesome!

# – Better than seahum!
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I also ate chorizo sausage sandwich (OMG), salt beef and pickle sandwich (OMG), pork and crackling sanwich (OMG) and rump steak sandwich (OMG). Mom-in-law also came to meet us at Borough Market.

# – With mom at a coffee place <3 image

Then we went to The Whisky Exchange at a building called Vinopolis. This was obviously for the husband. He was damn happy! I saw wine and liquor vending machines for the first time.

# – This is just a section at The Whisky Exchange, which houses only 10% of its booze variety.
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Then, I wanted to check out Harrods. Headed straight to the food hall which was impressive but EXPENSIVE. Sad :(

# – Me at Harrods!
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Saw the weird Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed shrine too.

# – Wtf.
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After sending mom off, we went back to Leicester Square for dinner. Decided to have chinese food at the famous Four Seasons in Chinatown.

# – Four Seasons.
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We ordered the popular roast duck. There’s boneless or with bone options, we chose the boneless version of course. It was really tasty and tender.

# – Roast pork (yums), roast duck (yums), spare ribs with pepper and salt (too tough..next!) and mixed seafood stir-fry (not pictured but yums).
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Overall…I honestly think Malaysia has much better chinese food. A random taichao in KL can easily tarpao Four Seasons.

We paid an equivalent of over RM200 for these and I know I shouldn’t convert but really quite painful hehe…

But I was happy I got some rice in the system. And then we headed back to our home away from home.

1st day of #KimGarethEurotrip

This was taken in front of Tate Britain.

# – Not holding a phone.

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Dress, belt and shoes from Bangkok. Bag from Louis Vuitton. Scarf, origins unknown.

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We started our day at Regency Cafe, a famous greasy spoon in London. We came out of Plimco underground  station and took a pleasant 10 minute walk to the cafe.

# – Regency Cafe in the background.

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Our English breakfasts were good but while not mind-blowingly so, we were really there for the atmosphere.

It’s worth the trek as Regency Cafe is like a time capsule from the past.

# – Londoners queuing up for lunch.

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# – Art and advertisements related to the cafe through the years.

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Besides the English breakfast, you must absolutely order the chips. Easily the best chips I have ever had.

# – What is this sorcery?

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The unassuming bowl of deep fried potatoes were crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I hoovered them up and I am not even a chips fan.

We then walked off breakfast by walking all the way to Tate Britain. Was nice till we reached the modern art section….there was a wall filled with some dude’s photographs of rubbish. Literally rubbish. Banana peels, KFC bones, empty food packages….

Sorry, can’t brain it.

After Tate, we went to The Houses of Parliament, hitting tourist central.

# – Hello Big Ben!

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Of course had a look at The London Eye too. Didn’t ride on it as we didn’t think we have the patience for it.

# – Just before the rain set in.

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It started raining soon after and I was forced to buy a crappy umbrella for 7 quid.

# – Me and my brollie.

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Then we moved on to Millennium Bridge. Crossed it and visited St. Paul’s Cathedral. We managed to catch the choral evensong, it was beautiful!

# – On the Millennium Bridge.

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We made our way to the West End as we were catching a musical at Dominion Theatre. Fueled up at one of the oldest fish & chips shop in London called “The Rock And Sole Plaice”. Pricey but pretty good.

# – Huge portions. Got my pickled egg fix too.

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After dinner, we watched “We Will Rock You” at Dominion Theatre. It was really entertaining with entire music from Queen. Audience were singing along and waving their hands.

# – Packed!

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After the musical, we went to Leicester Square. Went to M&Ms World.

So.many.colours!

# – OMG

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And then we went back to our home away from home. What a day!